There are sea merchants along the coast of Guangdong and Fujian, and there is so much silver that it must be pulled by boat; There are salt merchants in Yangzhou, and their lives are so extravagant that they do not lose Shi Chong; There is silk in Suzhou and Hangzhou, cotton cloth in Songjiang, porcelain in Jiangxi, and there are super-rich merchants in every industry.

What's in Huguang? There is grain in the lake. The lake is wide and ripe, and the world is full. A large amount of grain from Huguang was supplied to Guangdong, Fujian, Nanzhili and other developed areas in the south of the Yangtze River, and it was also transported to Beijing through Cao Yun, supporting half of the grain supply in the Ming Dynasty.

In Huguang, the real power was not the imperial court officials such as the political envoys, prefects, and prefects, but the big landlords and grain merchants who were deeply rooted in the local area.

With the cultural and commercial expansion of Wugang Prefecture, Zhu Shunming's open-mindedness had a growing impact on the conservative landlords.

Tenant farmers were reluctant to farm and flocked to Wugang, where it was easy to find well-paid jobs. Fields are taxed according to actual income, and no one is exempt from taxes, which makes the big landlords and bureaucrats regard them as snakes and scorpions. Even Taizu's law is not obeyed, what is King Min's intention?

The forces in Wugang Prefecture were in the name of King Min, and the big landlords did not dare to come hard, so they had to discuss how to Yin Zhu Shunming, or engage in a non-violent non-cooperation movement, and euphemistically shut out the forces in Wugang Prefecture.

Before the landlords could discuss a countermeasure, a riot broke out that swept around Dongting Lake.

………………

"Folks, the court is immoral, the earth dragon has turned over, and only we poor people are suffering." Shi Xiaohu stood on a high place and appealed loudly: "Last year, when the disaster occurred, all the relatives died, and the remnants were disabled, and the imperial court did not even give a grain of rice or a mouthful of porridge. ”

"We have no house to live in, no clothes to wear, and no food to eat, but the officials and landlords in the city still eat and drink spicy food, listen to Xiaoqu Na concubines, those profiteers, would rather put the rice in the treasury to mold, than give it to us poor people to eat."

"Folks, we want to live, we want to eat, we want to be fair, we want to be free......"

"To live, to eat, to be fair, to be free......" the crowd was indignant, and everyone shouted slogans and headed towards the city town of Wuling, which had no city walls.

The destructive power of the mighty torrent is staggering. Or people with ulterior motives or disgruntled or resentful people rushed into the county seat and carried out a clean and thorough plunder of the county government, government treasury, large households, grain stores, and other places.

People who have lost their minds unleash the devil buried deep in their hearts. Killing, arson, QJ, robbery for a while...... Man has become a devil, and the world has become hell.

Wuling is not the only place affected by the earthquake, but refugees who have no food and clothing to continue are scattered all around Dongting Lake.

The Wuling riot, like a spark, ignited the powder magazine at once, and the earth-shattering explosion blew up the entire Huguang to a buzzing sound.

Following Wuling, refugee riots broke out in Taoyuan, Longyang, Yuanjiang, Baling, Pingjiang, Linxiang, Huarong, Yiyang, Liuyang, Ningxiang and other counties.

At the same time, the Yellow River in Mengjin, Henan Province, burst its banks, leaving millions of refugees unable to survive and forced to rebel.

Zhang Xianzhong took the opportunity to gather the refugees and marched to Yunyang, De'an and other places in the north of Huguang.

For a time, the whole lake was full of rumors, and everyone was in danger.

………………

Fang Kongzhi, a native of Tongcheng, Anhui Province, a scholar in the forty-fourth year of Wanli, a physicist, was the governor of Huguang at the time, and ruled the world with the Book of Changes.

The north and south of Huguang attacked at the same time, which made Fang Kongzhi very angry.

"Diao people, they are all Diao people," Fang Kongzhi said angrily: "The court is in trouble, Diao Min is actually not sympathetic, and he actually rioted to make matters worse, he should be killed, all of them should be killed." ”

"Lei Qilong is really a waste, Wuling earthquake, why not disaster relief? caused the people to take the opportunity to cause chaos. ”

"Mr. Zhang (Zhang Yingyuan), why don't you respond to the situation in advance?"

Zhang Yingyuan smiled bitterly and said insincerely: "Yes, I am not thoughtful, and I ask for instructions from my lord." ”

Da Ming is noble and martial, and a deputy chief soldier naturally has to be a good grandson in front of the dignified governor.

In fact, Zhang Yingyuan is also angry. In order to exterminate the Liukou, Chen Qiyu, the governor of Yansui, asked to transfer Huguang troops to the Huguang army and transfer the Huguang troops to the empty force; There was a riot in the southwest, and Huguang had no troops to adjust, so he had to send guards to go.

Hu Guangcheng has been in peace for a long time, and there is no need for soldiers to be stationed in the original. But Governor Chen actually let the Liukou penetrate the encirclement and go straight to Huguang; The Huguang earthquake, the imperial court and the local government did not provide disaster relief, didn't they force people who had no way to survive to rebel?

When something went wrong, the civil official said, "Why don't you deal with it in advance", and put the entire responsibility on the general, so how can Zhang Yingyuan be convinced?

"How many troops do you still have?" Fang Kongzhi asked.

"Less than a thousand, all of them are the old, weak, wounded and sick." Zhang Yingyuan replied with insufficient confidence: "Governor Yuan (Yuan Jixian) and General Kong (Kong Xigui) transferred most of the Huguang troops to Shanxi to exterminate the Liukou, leaving less than 1,000 people just to keep the local tranquility, not ...... Cannot...... Confront the Rogues. ”

Fang Kongzhi also knew that the transfer of the army was not something that Zhang Yingyuan could control. When the vast army of Hu went to the northwest, Fang Kongzhi also nodded and agreed. He thought that if he could contribute to the eradication of the rogues, he would add a few points to his political career, but who knows...... Chen Qiyu is really unreliable.

"You quickly went south, quelled the riot in Changsha Province, and reasonably resettled the victims. As soon as the imperial army arrives, the mob will definitely be dissolved. This credit will be given to you. Thou shalt do thyself. ”

"Yes, thank you for your cultivation." Zhang Yingyuan agreed loudly, very excited. As long as you don't fight against the northern rogues, a few rioting fishermen are still not captured? Governor Fang, this is a stick to give a sweet date.

After Zhang Yingyuan left, Fang Kongzhi said to himself: "There are no soldiers to send, only the governors of Yunyang and De'an are strictly ordered to strengthen precautions, mobilize civilian group training, defend the county town, and wait for the imperial court to reinforce." ”

"Isn't Mei Bin's father (Mei Zhihuan) at home? Macheng is not far from De'an, do you want him to come forward to organize a civil group practice? Although Mei Manzi is stubborn, he can be literate and martial, but he is a talent. Pity...... Forget it, he doesn't necessarily listen to me. ”

………………

Zhang Yingyuan led 600 soldiers from Wuchang to take a boat upstream, and arrived in Xiangyin in early July.

On the inland river march, there was no need to be vigilant, and the soldiers were naturally very lax. In addition, the original military discipline of the Ming Dynasty army was lax, and Zhang Yingyuan led all veterans, and he did not take military discipline seriously.

The target of this dispatch is an unorganized mob, isn't this a hand-to-hand capture? As soon as they thought of a lot of gentle and fair-skinned fishermen's little sisters, these veterans let out a knowing lewd smile.

Zhang Yingyuan planned to enter Changsha County first to repair, and then let the local government cooperate to eliminate the mob one by one and quell the riot.

Zhang Yingyuan was full of ambition for this dispatch. He did not get along well with the governor Yuan Jixian and the general soldier Kong Xigui, and there was no hope for promotion.

Governor Fang Kongzhi gave Zhang Yingyuan this opportunity, also to expand the voice of civilian officials in the army.

The fleet entered Dongting Lake, and the vast surface of the lake opened the eyes of many soldiers growing on the Yangtze River. The Yangtze River has a side, this Dongting Lake seems to be boundless, as far as the eye can see, it is actually the water and the sky are connected, and the heaven and the earth are integrated.

"Bang ......"

A dull sound came out, and the hull shook slightly.

"What sound? What's going on? The people inquired of each other.

"Bang ......"

The sound is more frequent and clearer.

"Someone is scuttling the boat, and the bandits are digging the boat at the bottom of the boat......"

"Oh no, the boat is leaking......"

"Plug it, plug it up quickly, ...... it"

"It's not good, it's sinking, jump ship......"

"I can't swim ......"

The officers and men were in chaos and completely out of order. They are the army, not the sailors, and they do not understand water emergency response and water warfare at all.

Zhang Yingyuan was in a hurry.

On land, Zhang Yingyuan can be regarded as brave and good at fighting, and he can also be regarded as brave and strategic. Otherwise, he would not have secured the position of deputy commander in the shadow of the governor and the chief soldier. But when it comes to water, when it comes to water warfare, he knows six out of seven - none of them.

There was a large hole in the bottom of the ship, and the splash of water flooded the cabin, and the hull of the ship gradually sank at a visible speed.

"My lord, jump off the ship," the soldier said anxiously, "If you don't jump ship again, the ship will sink." The shipwreck will roll up devil's waves, and even the best people in the water will be swallowed up. ”

"Die before leaving the school, and make the hero cry." Zhang Yingyuan looked up to the sky and sighed. At the critical moment, the old and rough soldier actually became young. Maybe Zhang Yingyuan also wants to be a Confucian general in his heart.

Six sand ships sank one after another, rolling up huge whirlpools on the surface of the water, circling and whistling and devouring everything.

After everything was calm, the lake was full of officers and soldiers who had survived the catastrophe, desperately struggling to swim to the shore where there was no shore in sight.

"Boat, there is a boat, help, help......"

Hundreds of small sampans surrounded the boat, and on the side of the boat stood fishermen armed with harpoons and spears, shouting at the officers and soldiers on the water.

"Listen to the officers and soldiers below, you have been surrounded, put down your weapons and surrender, squat down with your heads in your hands, and give you a way to live."

The officers and men wanted to cry without tears. The weapon has long been laid down. With your head in your hands? Get down? You show one inside the water.

"Surrender, we surrender ......"

The fishermen rescued the officers and men onto the boat, and immediately tied them into rice dumplings and rudely threw them into the cabin. The people did not have a good impression of the corrupt officials and ruffians in the imperial court.

………………

After receiving the news of Zhang Yingyuan's annihilation, Fang Kongzhi was dumbfounded, and then became furious: "Pigs, pigs that can't support the wall." Knowing that the fishermen were rioting, he actually took a boat directly into the enemy's lair. Can you die if you walk a few steps? ”

Soon, the impact of the Changsha riots expanded dramatically. The counties around Changsha Prefecture, Chaling, Liling, Youxian, Youxian, Anren, Jianli, Gong'an, Shishou and other places have shown signs of riots. The neighboring Jiangxi, Nanzhili and other places were also affected, and there was a lot of wind and noise, and the grass and trees were all soldiers.

In Huguang, Fang Kongzhi can still suppress the news and not report it. As long as the riot is quelled for a short time, it can only be a small episode.

Once it spreads to other provinces, once it is delayed and cannot be settled in time, the matter will be over. As soon as he thought of this, Fang Kongzhi shuddered.

In the past few years since Lord Chongzhen took the throne, he has killed many Wenchen generals. is as high as Inspector Yuan, isn't he killed by a thousand cuts? The reputation is like Governor Yang, but he is not the same as being imprisoned? I don't think there is one more governor of Huguang!

The northern part of Huguang is also not restless.

The army of the rogue Zhang Xianzhong entered the Yunyang Mountains, looted and plundered in the local area, besieged the county seat, attacked the cottage, and the whole Yunyang was disturbed.

The Liukou even entered the territory of Xiangyang Mansion to do evil, provoking Zhu Yiming, the king of Xiang, to write a letter to scold, saying, "If you can't get rid of the Liukou as soon as possible, you will definitely write to the court."